Business process improvement (BPI) is a strategic planning methodology aimed at identifying the operations or employee skills that could be improved to encourage smoother procedures, more efficient workflow and overall business growth. This process can also be referred to as functional process improvement.Each and every business has its own way of ensuring customer satisfaction. But if the process is monitored effectively, probably the indirect leakages may be pointed, corrective measures may be taken, a cost may be reduced, profitability may be increased and customer satisfaction may be improved. Many organisations choose to go for business process excellence irrespective of the fact whether they are the start-up or in profit with legacy. To be precise it is always advisable to go for Business Process excellence during the first phase/first few years of your organisation even if there is no requirement for ISO certification legally.
Steps involved in Process improvement
- Review of organisations existing process, documents, formats, methods, human resource deployed, policies applicable will be reviewed based on the organization goal and customer satisfaction guidelines.
- Formulation or Updation of quality policy and assignment of responsibilities for ensuring quality
- Updation of the existing process, documents, formats, methods, human resource requirement, policies applicable based on quality policy
- Based on management approval, implementation process takes place along with training for the team.
- Audits will be done to ensure alignment of the team to the new system and to ensure the effectiveness of the Business Process.
The major requirements are:
- Quality Management System
(Process Management, Documentation Requirements and Control of Records) - Management Responsibility
(Customer Focus, Quality Policy, Quality Objectives, Planning, Responsibility and Authority) - Resource Management
(Human Resources, Infrastructure and Work Environment) - Product / Service Realization
(Planning of New Products / Services, Customer Interface / Communication, Design, Purchasing / Supplier Management, Production / Service Operations and Calibration) - Measurement, Analysis and Improvement
(Internal Audits, Customer Satisfaction, Monitoring / Measurement of Products / Services and Processes, Handling Nonconformities, Corrective and Preventive Actions and Continual Improvement)
Quality Management is essential to reassure that Organizations perform well and that the customers are being well served. Without satisfied customers, an organization is in peril. To keep customers satisfied, the organization needs to meet their requirements. The ISO 9001:2015 standard provides a tried and tested framework for taking a systematic approach to managing the organization’s processes so that they consistently turn out product /service that satisfies customers’ expectations.